Steam-drier



A. E. TOMPKINS.

STEAM DRIER. APPLICATION FiLED MAR. 23, 1921.-

Patented Aug. 2-, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

. A. E. TOMPKINS.

STEAM DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23, 1921.

Patented Aug. 2', 192-1.

2 SHEETS-.SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES ALBERT E. TOMPKIN'S, OF HAN TS, ENGLAND.

STEAM-DRIER.

Application filed March 23, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT EDWARD ToMrKINs, asubject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Little Brookley,

Brockenhurst, Hants, England, have invent ed certain new and usefulImprovements in Steam-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steam driers and particularly to steam driersof the vortex type. The invention is also applicable to separation ofliquids from gases and the like. I shall however describe it as appliedto a steam drier since this simplifies the explanation those skilled inthe art will appreciate its applicability to analogous uses. Such usesare contemplated by me.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple device, having nomoving parts, which may be inserted in a steam pipe line at'any desiredpoint including points within the boiler and which will operate toseparate substantially all the water from the steam and expel itpositively from the pipe. The expelled water may be discharged back intothe boiler or to some other point, and such discharge may be through atrap if desired. This device is however capable of operating without atrap if the parts are properly proportioned to the service.

The device is intended to be interposed in a steam pipe line and ishoused in a shell or casing formed with an annular vortex chamher. Theguide structure-is mounted within, this shell or casing and is providedwith a partition formed with deflecting guides and spiral vanes whichdirect the flowing steam into the vortex chamber in tangentialdirections so as to produce high velocity rotary flow in the vortexchamber. Thisfiow expels the water by centrifugal force. The steampasses on through the guide structure by means of ports which are spacedfrom the discharge end of the vortex chamber and which therefore leavean annular groove toward which the separated water is impelled and inwhich it circulates rapidly. This circulating water is dischargedthrough a tangential port located in the periphery of the shell orcasing in alinement with this annular water groove. The result is thatthe steam leaving the vortex chamber does not entrain any of theseparated water.

Practical embodiments of the invention Specification'of Letters Patent.Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

Serial No. 454,889.

are illustrated in the accompanying drawin s in which,-

T igure 1 is a longitudinal axial section of the preferred form of thedevice.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of-the arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification. i

6 and 7 are pipe sections forming part of a steam main or line. Mountedbetween these pipe sections, and coaxial with them is casing 8 of thedrier. The pipes 6 and 7 and the casing 8 are shown as connected bybolts passing through abutting flanges, but any equivalent constructionmight be used.

Where the device is installed on a steam pipe within a boiler it is notsubjected to severe differential pressure and may therefore beconstructed more lightly than the device shown in the drawing.

The vortex chamber in the casing 8 is indicated at 9 and lies between abeveled flange 10 and an opposed flange 11. The bevel of the flange 10is preferably about 120 to the axisof the pipe 6. The guide structureconsists of a tubular thimble or sleeve 12;formed with a flange 13 whichenters a channel formed in the end of the casing 8 to receive it. Inother words, the flanges ll'and 13 are in contact. The member 12 is heldagainst'rotation by dowel pins 14 passing through these two flanges. Theguide member 12 is divided transversely by a partition 15 which isprovided on the steam entrance side with a deflectingcone 16, and on thesteam exit side with a similar deflecting cone 17. Steam enteringthrough the pipe 6 strikes the cone 16 and is deflected radially outwardthrough the spirally arranged vanes 18. These discharge the steam inpaths approximately tangential to the periphery of the guide member 12and set up rapid rotary motion of the steam in the vortex chamber 9.

The steam is discharged from the vortex chamber through the openings orports 19 and flows away through the discharge pipe 7 The guide cone 17assists in causing the steam entering through the ports 19 to flowdownthe discharge pipe 7. The discharge port for the separated water isshown at 20 and is tangential to the periphery of the vortex chamber 9.It is located at the exannular trough or groove. toward which theseparated water is impelled by the steam flow and in which it is. causedto circulate rapidly. The only exit offered to water flowing in this.groove is the port 20, and the port 20 is so proportioned as. to be adequate to discharge the entire water content of the steam. Moreover thereis no tendency for steam, entering through the ports 19 to entrain anyof the separated water.

a The effect. of this arrangement. is initially to separate the waterfrom the steam by centrifugal force and. simultaneously to sweep theseparated water beyond the zone of steam flow and into an annular waterassa 'e in which it is free to circulate at p a high speed. The wateracquires high circular velocity from the steam flow. and is discharged,from the casing by its own kinetic energy and centrifugal effect.

I suggest the following relative dimensions as suited togive-satisfactory operation- The total area of the passages betweenthevanes 18 should be slightly greater than the transverse area to thepipe 6 and substantially equal to the total. area through the ports 19.The diameter of the tangential drain port 20 should be approximatelyoneeighth the diameter ofthe pipe 6 and the radial depth of the vortexchamber 9, 5. 0., the radialdistance between the interior. of the shell8 and the exterior of guide? member 12 should be approximatelyone-quarter of the diameter of the-pipe 6. The form of the guide members16' and 17 is subjectto=- some variation,v but. I prefer to use coneswhose base diameter is practically one-half the diameter ofthe pipe 6 sothat the lines of flow betweenthe-vanes 18 will lie in planes normal tothe axis of the vortex chamber 9 orapproximately so. The purpose is toproduce a: violent rotary flow without acce'ntrt ating the axial flow inthe chamber 9.

Incertain; cases it is-desirable to, provide a tangential port alinedwith the discharge port 20. This-construction is used when the device isinstalled within a boiler anchis found. to promote better circulation...It may also beused where the separator is inserted 011. external. pipingin connection with. a steam trap. A device of this character is shown.in Fig. 4 in which; the direction of rotation; of the steam isindicated. by the arrows. The water discharge connection is illustrated;at 20 and the other parts: are numbered; similarly. to 1 Figs. 1 to 3inclusive.

The auxiliary steam connection is shown at 21 and is axially alined withthe discharge port 20. Where the device is used with a steam trap theport 21 serves as the second connectioncharacteristic of suchinstallations. The port 20 is as before described a water dischargeport.

""The' operation of both forms of the device will be obvious from theabove description. It will function properly without any steam trapprovided the discharge port 20 is properly proportioned. I. prefer touse the device in the form's shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 without any trap,the port 20 being con-- nected, for example, to an exhaust system or aheater system. 7

The device will operate in any positionbut I prefer to mount it with thedischarge port QO at the lowest point in the device so that water willdrain away by gravity when steam is shut off.

That part of shell 12 between discharge pipe 7 and ports 19 isin effectan annular baffle extending beyond the water discharge port 20 andserving to-shield the same from;

the disturbing action of outfiowing steam,

and I use thisterm in certain of the claims leading from the peripheryof said separat' ing chamber adjacent said dischargev passage, of adeflector obstructing. direct flow between sald steam passages; fixedspiral vanes arranged in annular series and extending between saiddeflector and the periphery of saidv inlet passage; and an annularbaffle surrounding said steam. discharge passage and extending towardsaid; deflector and beyond. said Water discharge port.

21 In asteam drier, the combination'with. a casing structure Including asteam. inlet passage, a steam discharge passage, saidpassages beingopposed to'each other, an annular separating chamber of larger diameterthan said steam passages interposedbetween:

them, and a tangential water discharge. port leadingfromthe periphery ofsaid separating chamber adjacent said discharge pas sage, of a deflectorobstructing direct flow between: said steam; passages, and; providedwith guiding surfaces of substantially conical. form presented towardthe steam inlet and discharge ports; fixed spiral vanes: arranged inannular series and extending be tween said deflector and the peripheryof said inlet passage; and. an annular baffle surrounding saidsteam-discharge passage and extending toward said deflector and beyondsaid water discharge port.

3. In a steam drier, the combination with a casing structure including asteam inlet passage, a steam discharge passage, said passages beingopposed to each other, an annular separating chamber of larger diameterthan said steam passages interposed between them, and a tangential waterdischarge port leading from the periphery of said separating chamberadjacent said discharge passage, a deflector obstructing direct flowbetween said steam passages, fixed spiral vanes arranged in annularseries and extending between said deflector and the periphery of saidinlet passage, the total area between said vanes being slightly greaterthan the area of the steam inlet passage; and an annular bafflesurrounding said steam discharge passage and extending toward saiddeflector and beyond said water discharge ort. p 4. In a steam drier,the combination with a casing structure including a steam inlet passage,a steam discharge passage, said passages being opposed to each other, anannular separating chamber of larger diameter than said steam passagesinterposed between them, and a tangential water discharge port leadingfrom the periphery of said separating chamber adjacent said dischargepassage, of a unitary deflecting and guiding element removably mountedin said casing structure and comprising a deflector obstructing directflow between said steam passages; fixed spiral vanes arranged in annularseries and extending between said deflector and the periphery of saidinlet passage, and an annular baffle surrounding said steam dischargepassage and extending toward said deflector and beyond said waterdischarge port.

5. In a steam drier, the combination with a casing structure including asteam inlet passage, a steam discharge passage, an annular separatingchamber of larger diameter than said steam passages interposed betweenthem, and a tangential water discharge port leading from the peripheryof said separating chamber adjacent said discharge passage, ofadeflector obstructing direct flow between said steam passages; and anannular baflle surrounding said steam discharge passage and extendingtoward said deflector and beyond said water discharge port.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

A. E. TOMPKINS.

